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Green Orions
The Orions, also called Green Orions were a race from the Beta Quadrant famous for their involvement in many criminal endeavors: piracy, slavery, and the Orion Syndicate. They primarily inhabited the Orion Colonies. :The Orion homeworld is variously stated to be either Rigel VIII (Botchok), Rigel VII (Kolar), a world in the Pi-3 Orionis system, or more generally, the planet "Orion". In their own language, they were referred to as Ur'eon[2] or Kolari.[3] The name "Orion" was derived from the Orion constellation.[4] The Orions had a number of sub-races, including the Green Orions (covered here), the Ruddy Orions, the Grey Orions, the rare halfbreeds, and muni, or 'blends', consisting of other colors and races. They absorbed a number of other races into their culture, also known as Orion but of limited numbers or presence.[5][6] These absorbed races might include the Etoshans and Duthulhiv,[7][8] a gray-skinned reptilian variety[9] and a slimy purple variety.[10] Biology :The following information is either specific to Green Orions, or assumed to be without evidence otherwise. However, with different subraces and gender differences, and various contradictions, some of the following information could apply to one or another of the subraces, or be specific to a gender. Some information, such as the height and weight measurements, also comes from different, contradictory sources. Orions were humanoids that possessed the same size and build of an average Human, though they could range from slightly smaller to somewhat taller and more massive,[3] or more slender. Average heights ranged from 1.8 to 2 meters, with average mass ranging from 75 to 80 kilograms.[11] Males averaged at 1.7 meters and 70 kilograms, while females averaged at 1.5 meters and 60 kilograms.[5] Their external physical characteristics were close to those of humans, though their features tended towards aquiline noses and sharp chins. However, Orion physiology and copper-based blood chemistry were more similar to that of a Vulcan, with skin tones ranging from emerald to dark olive greens[9][11][12][3], due to both their copper blood and the chlorophyll in their skin cells.[11] This green skin darkened in strong sunlight.[5] They could have either green blood,[13] or orange blood.[14][2] Black was the most common eye-color, followed by lighter shades of green. Some Orions (called "erratics") had very different eye colors: blue, brown, gold, yellow, even pink and silver.[5] Orion women could have very distinctive bright blue eyes.[9] Ocular compounds to treat vision disorders, such as Retinax V did not work well on Orions.[6] Some Orions tended to be hairy, with body hair common among both men and women, which was seen as a mark of distinction, though baldness in older men was not uncommon. Generally, they had thick black hair with metallic green highlights.[5] Hair was generally black or chestnut brown.[11][3] However, a great many Orions were seen to be practically hairless, with even young men bald and lacking body hair.[15][16] In old age, they developed white hair.[17] The Orions evolved under a blue-white sun with a similar spectrography to Rigel, with that system possibly being their home system. Thanks to their chlorophyll, their green-pigmented skin absorbed ultraviolet radiation, keeping them relatively immune to its harmful effects and somewhat resistant to radiation in general.[11][3] They were possibly naturalized stabilized against radiation, in the manner of a radiation stabilizer.[2] They were also physically stronger than most other humanoid races (save Vulcans),[5][18] though their musculature and powerful builds may have been due in part to a life of manual labor.[5] They also had increased endurance. Though highly charismatic, they had reduced intelligence and capacity for psionics.[6] They had metabolic ratios quite different from that of a human[19] and a 10 degree difference in body temperature[14] (whether higher or lower is not clear), and Orion gourmands tended toward obesity, with no member of the species enjoying the concept of being underweight.[3] They lived about 90 standard years,[5] with the effects of old age setting in after 60.[6] A pancreas was once successful transplanted between an Orion and an African Cape buffalo.[20] Orions, or the women at least, needed a number of short sleeps, instead of one long one.[21] Pheromones Orions tended to smell, not due to lack of hygiene as some believed, but due to their natural skin oils. Distinctive, though not unpleasant, the scent was unnoticeable after a few minutes of exposure. However, it was heavily laden with pheromones that affected the subconscious of most humanoid races. The effect was soothing, and ten minutes in a sizable group of Orions drained tension. Orions found it hard to stay angry in a group, but a strong emotion, such as rage, fear or desire, altered the scent, and though it did not compel others, it did make them susceptible to that particular mood. Unless a humanoid was aware of this, they could find their emotions subtly altered. It was hazardous to be among a group of angry, frightened or panicky Orions, as their mood was literally contagious.[5] Orion females also produced large amounts of a powerful chemical pheromone that generally acted like a love potion.[16][22] It had a range of effects on different species and sexes. In a Human male (and likely in males of most humanoid races, including Orions), it accelerated the metabolism and increased adrenaline levels, inducing aggression and delusion, and generally making him highly suggestible to the Orion woman who produced it. In this way, they became enthralled to the Orion woman. Human females, on the other hand, suffered a different, more negative effect, experiencing headaches and lethargy. Denobulan males experienced interrupted sleep cycles and extreme tiredness while Vulcan women were immune to any effects. Human males that were telepathically linked to a female Vulcan could also become immune to the pheromone.[16] A Klingon male could experience a pheromonal shock due to the rush of hormones; allegedly, this could potentially be deadly for a young male.[21] This made Klingons especially susceptible to an Orion woman's influence.[22] The effects of the pheromones were cumulative, such that a longer or more intense exposure resulted in more pronounced symptoms. Doctor Phlox postulated in 2154 that the pheromones acted as a defensive mechanism against competition.[16] Orion males apparently had similar pheromones to their women, though they were much less pronounced.[23] Orion women were famously irresistibly sexually attractive, and though some of this reputation may have derived from marketing hype by dealers in Orion slave girls, most Orion women were considered beautiful and charming seducers.[11] They were known for their extreme "appetites" and very few men were known to be able to resist their approaches.[24] They had a heat cycle that drove their mating instincts, which increased when they were 'in heat'.[25] Orion women had long, sharp nails, almost like claws, which they could use as weapons. They also had a much greater physical dexterity than Orion men.[26] There was thought to be a subcaste of the Orion race that possessed animalistic qualities, giving rise to the legend of the "Orion animal woman".[12] They were claimed to be less intelligent and behaved in a semi-animalistic fashion.[26] It was unknown if these traits indicated a subspecies or a genetic alteration[12] or were simply a myth based on their legendary sexual appetites, violence and savage Orion behavior.[5] It may have derived simply from a lack of educational opportunities.[26] Orion pharmacologists developed a pheromonal treatment that vastly increased the user's sexual appeal at the risk of some degradation of the superego and other higher brain functions (resulting in, for example, animalistic impatience, blood-lust, reduced intelligence, inability to concentrate, a vulnerability to psychic assault, or a decreased will). This only worked on Orions. It might have been the origin of the myth of the Orion animal woman, or it might been developed to fulfill the myth and satisfy the resulting market.[3] :Each source introduces the Orion animal woman then suggests a different means by which it is likely to be a myth. Thus, they probably don't exist. Decipher's mirror universe Orions keep an animalistic sub-caste however. It also unknown to what extent Orion slave girls overlap with Orion animal women; the terms are generally interchangeable. Orion men Orion males could shrug off a low-powered phaser hit (such as from a hand phaser or Phaser One) with only minor injuries instead of death, unless a vital organ was struck.[9] Psychology :"There are three kinds of people I don't want to face while making a deal: Vulcan bankers, Tellarite lawyers, or anybody Orion." -- Carter Winston[5] The Orion mind was complicated and thought in complicated ways, making them difficult for others to understand. There were five basic facets to the common Orion’s way of thinking: opportunism, egocentricity, materialism, hedonism, and barbarity.[5] They also had four primary motives: profit, loyalty, revenge, and spite.[6] Opportunism & Egocentricity Orions had a skill and reputation for finding advantages and comparing chances and risks, and the drive to seize an opportunity, no matter how unusual the means, and either profit or get away safely. This opportunism could make them very dangerous, but it was balanced by their flaws.[5] Their egocentricity made them confident and proud of their abilities and plans, of their cunning, strength, wealth and connections, and they weren’t afraid to show off and let everyone else know about it. This extended beyond themselves, making Orions proud of and loyal to their families, their companies and other groups they belonged to, their ships if they were spacefarers, to their stations in Orion society, and to the Orion species in general. These attitudes however could lead to overconfidence and showing off more than they should.[5] Materialism & Hedonism :"Keep money, but do not keep it dear." -- old Orion advice, learned from the Rigellians[6] Materialism was a dominant factor. An important, never-ignored ethical principle of the Orions was that value had to be given for value received, or in other words, that one couldn't get something for nothing. Everything had a cost, not just in money, but in time, effort, reputation or blood. Everything gained had a purpose, whether it was for personal enrichment, the sake of one's leader, revenge or other motives, though in the 23rd century there was a growing trend for Orions to trade value for intangibles that had little to do with seeking profit. These habits made them quite efficient and practical.[6] Thus, material value was a universal language, a necessary standard to rely on and the foundation of business and diplomacy. This was comfort and sincerity to the Orions. They were talented at estimating value, and cared deeply for material things. Everything had a price, even things that most others took for granted – a common Orion joke was the value of sunsets, clouds and dust. Orion mothers even sold cookies to their children (albeit with a loving kiss). Meanwhile, Orion slaves bartered their labor for food, shelter and protection. As a result of this materialism, Orions were a hedonistic race, who lived as well as they could within their means and aimed to enjoy life as much as they could afford. There was no virtue in being or acting impoverished. Orions pursued extremes of luxury, comfort, fineries, entertainment, indulgence, and great displays of wealth and used these things to outdo and impress each other.[5] They tended to delight in partaking in the more civilized vices.[3] Living well and letting others know about it was a point of pride, a display of their success and potential to help others achieve the same. Barbarism & Decadence :"If an Orion has not seen it, it does not exist" -- an ancient saying[5] They were often called barbaric by members of other races, even Klingons, presumably for their practice of slavery, piracy and general hedonism. In return, some claimed to be merely decadent; they could not be barbarians after their long history, when they'd travelled through space when other races couldn’t cross their oceans. The Orions did not disagree with any negative portrayal of themselves; instead, they enjoyed their reputations. Being deceitful and treacherous had made them rich and helped them conquer worlds, and that was all they’d desired. They had no great racial destiny and thought it pointless to argue about it, even if they seemed stagnant and purposeless as a result.[5] With a lost heritage,[6] an ancient history and a decadent culture, that both overshadowed and liberated them,[3] they were left cynical and materialistic, looking out only for themselves, seeking wealth and enjoying it, and leaving dreams of conquest, glory and utopian visions to others. The Orions called it being practical,[11] tending to be realists and pragmatists who scoffed at all ideologies[12] and felt that life was too short to waste on rules or morality.[3] Thus they were not bound by any set of restraints, rules, laws or codes of honor,[6][9] nor did they have an overarching philosophy to justify their behavior.[12] Loyalty & Leadership :"Save your friends as you would save your profits." -- old Orion advice, learned from the Rigellians[6] Orion customs and traditions encouraged group loyalty and mutual protection,[12] and they were loyal to family, company and anything else they were a member of. They believed that true friends could never be bought, and that loyalty was bound to blood alone, and that while money could not replace love and devotion, it was more reliable.[5] The strength of their loyalty was according to the responsibility and care the object of it took for them, the size of the group and the understanding its members had for one another. Greatest of all was one’s own family, which took total care of its members and demanded absolute loyalty in return, and small groups were almost as close-knit. Last was government, where loyalty and responsibility were both nearly nonexistent. In the middle lay companies and corporations. In general, the larger a group was, the less loyalty and responsibility was shared.[6] Because of this loyalty-spectrum, Orions had a reputation for treachery, selfishness and deceit. But while Orion society was fast-paced, turbulent and filled with twists of fortune, such behavior was not random or only selfish, but followed certain standards of conduct, with specific goals and ideals, in which they frequently rearranged their limits and obligations to one another.[6] Orions did not work at being treacherous; it was a byproduct of their self-centered world-view.[5] However, they were not anarchists, nor completely uncoordinated and uncooperative, but had a fine and often-used sense of compromise, negotiation, and give-and-take. When (not if) arrangements changed, new arrangements were made to suit the new situation.[6] Despite being individualists, Orions admired and respected talented and charismatic leaders, particularly tahedrin (patriarchs) and rhadamanen (captains and archexecutives), people who stood for an ideal, who could not be swayed, bought, or shamed, who proved their cluros. Such a person could undermine or even win over their foes, and get others to follow them. Orions trusted such a leader and would do almost anything for them, ignoring personal gain and ambition: workers and slaves labored hard for a good boss, pirates would die for a respected captain. Rather than surrendering their individualism or personal feelings to such a leader, they saw through them a greater goal, a shared profit, or a better future for everyone. But too many mistakes or too little gain would break the spell, and the leadership would collapse, with Orions reverting to plotting and selfishness – at least until the next great leader came along. Otherwise, Orions had little faith in government or impersonal authority.[6] Whatever the group or their loyalty, wearing uniforms and badges was not common, and Orions did not ask for another's affiliation, family or employer, and if they were asked they were under no particular compulsion to reveal it. Orions rarely went even by their family names, unless they were particularly powerful. However, imposters falsely adopting a famous or powerful name risked a heavy punishment from actual members, who didn’t like being mocked and wished to protect their good name.[6] Revenge & Cluros Revenge and spite were important to the Orions, though they could go to great lengths to hide the depths of their loss, grief or rage from their foes, in keeping with their code of cluros, which encouraged self-control and a cool head. They could even join or become apparent friends with their hated target. All of this was to avoid alerting a foe until it was too late. Making an effort simply to spite another went against typical Orion greed and hedonism – there was no one word for 'spite' – but it held an attraction for that reason, and was easily rationalized.[6] Instead of treating these vendettas as matters of life and death, Orions played them as amusing games; only some held actual grudges.[3] Orions were known to swear vengeance oaths on their enemies, and could appreciate a desire for revenge in others.[2] They could also hire ganzu, or revenge societies, to get back at their enemies.[5] Said by some to be the highest expression of Orion culture, the code of cluros, meaning 'cold' or 'coolness', was a code of conduct that encouraged self-control and a cool head, and attempted to curb their excesses. By cluros, an Orion would attempt to hide their hurts, stay calm and even grinning in the face of danger or loss, and remain charming and polite to even their enemies and victims, no matter the provocation, all while attempting to get another to break theirs.[5] Thus, Orions were typically known for their charm and influence, with a ready tongue and a good attitude, and they’d project a personality somewhere between a stylish devil-may-care humor and cheerful self-confidence at their best, and a tired cynicism and brash arrogance at their worst. They enjoyed mocking and taunting helpless foes while charming powerful allies.[3] Deception They also not above convincing foes to fight against each other instead, as they were always happy to risk others for their own cause. They were equally willing to run from a fight that they could not win. They watched others instead, plotted and waited to backstab the victor at the right moment.[3] They were also shrewd and savvy, good at sensing lies, motives and subterfuge while masking their own intentions. They had a talent for conspiracy, intrigue, and navigating a criminal underworld.[11][3] No Orion who could still speak was considered powerless, and all were talented at wielding power behind the scenes,[5] as well as obeying the letter of a law while evading its spirit.[6] However, this did not mean that Orions necessarily lied, cheated, and stole to get their way, no more so than any other race, as getting caught was bad for their reputation.[5] Few outsiders could say they understood Orions or knew the truth about them, and sources of information on them tended to disagree. This mystery was because Orions enjoyed puzzles, contradictions, and paradoxes, and liked to sow confusion among outsiders and to tell lies,[5] often misleading both each other and non-Orions about their true motives. They felt no need to clear up misconceptions about them. To the Orions, knowledge was power, and confusion and misconception a weapon.[6] Care & Love A high ideal of Orions was to become so successful that they could care for others; this manifested in owning slaves, starting a family, founding a colony, and in a wealthy corporation taking good care of its employees. It was a mark of ostentation that one's people were well cared for; the better they lived, the better one looked. Such care and responsibility also earned loyalty, respect and trust.[6] Orions believed that true love lasted forever, whether it was between friends, partners or life-mates. This love lasted past death or when another partner entered the picture, and was respected and honoured. When a friend or lover died, this continuing love honoured their memory.[27] Suicide & Life :"Why do you think my people have been able to maintain our operations for so long, so secretly and well, Captain Kirk? It is because all unsuccessful Orion missions end in suicide. When possible, we enjoy company." — an Orion pirate captain[28] Despite a general love of life and self-centeredness, Orions had a long history of committing suicide, either by doing it themselves or by provoking others into killing them. Their reasons could be to uphold their causes, to preserve the secrecy of their missions and their neutrality, to get revenge on their foes, to save themselves from being captured, and even at the order of a respected captain. Well-known examples of Orion suicide ranged from the legend of Lady Katam to the martyrdom of Julin Hyrax the Brave to the Laxala Incident,[6] and the common practice of destroying one's own ship and any nearby enemies, used by the Orion Space Navy, pirates, and desperate merchants alike.[6][29][30][31] One particular form of suicide was Vyun-pashan.[28] However, this did not mean that life and death were cheap to the Orions. Suicide was a last resort, when all other options had been exhausted, and it was intended for the good of one's people at the cost of oneself. It could be carefully planned, and preparations were both mental and physical, and took a great deal of courage. Even so, when even suicide would not meet their goals, they would choose to live. They had an essential respect for life, and would act to preserve it where possible. At heart, their morals were sound, even if the practice and face of them were not.[28] :The above paragraph is taken entirely from speculation from James T. Kirk, thus it may not necessarily be true, but it's probably intended to be. Even pirates respected life, to a point. In an Orion pirate raid, compliant and unresisting crews were usually left unharmed. Pirates who took captives and hostages took cares not to mistreat them while they sought a ransom. If they could not get one, then they generally stranded them some place. Pirates who killed off innocent captives just to save some money horrified other Orions, who saw them as savage barbarians. Other pirates would even set a bounty on their heads to ensure that they were hunted down and killed for their crimes. However, crews that fought back after being boarded were free to be slaughtered.[5][6] Society The Orions were, in general, a reclusive people who shunned contact with outsiders and stayed close to their home systems. They maintained their neutrality and avoided joining with any of the neighboring superpowers, though this could have been a cover for their illicit activities.[28] The Outer Dark characterized their fears of the space beyond their own, of unknown regions from which few returned. "Sensible" and "civilized" Orions stayed at home to make their fortunes, while adventurous pirates, merchants and explorers probed its edges, and new Colonies pushed it back,[5] but few liked to go too far into it.[10] However, they also tended to be semi-nomadic, at least between their Colonies.[6] Family & Caju The family model was the basis for all Orion society, their oldest and most resilient form of organization. Hierarchy in the family was determined mostly by seniority and gender. The tahedri, or patriarch, was the dominant authority figure in the family, respected for his age and position. He decided how members conducted themselves, arranged marriages, found jobs for their sons, found husbands and dowries for their daughters, organized care for the sick, and ran the family business if they had one. The tabadi, or matriarch, technically had only minimal say in these things, but could wield a great deal of influence, even if only by compromise and negotiation. A retiring or dying tahedri appointed his successor, usually his eldest son or otherwise the oldest, most closely related male family member, preferably from amongst his descendants. However, depending on the size of the family and the capability of the immediate candidates, he could instead appoint a woman, a younger person, or even multiple replacements. However, no matter the respect for the previous tahedri, almost every new leader abandoned his predecessor's plans and style and chose a new path. A tahedri took pride in a happy, healthy, prosperous, and unified family. Such a state did not come easily; maintaining a family over the generations meant never-ending struggle, compromise, and continual readjustment against constant changes. Most importantly, news of internal conflict could never reach the ears of outsiders. In divided families, members plotted to get around a still-respected tahedri's commands. In the worst and rarest cases, children rebelled against parents, and even violence broke out. However, one’s own family was the very last place an Orion could expect to be betrayed. Successful families attracted alliances, marriages and business deals with other families which sought to improve their fortunes by association. By linking in this way, they formed clans, webs of interdependent families, with thousands of members and one powerful family at its heart, wielding significant strength and influence.[5][6] The heads of these clans were the great families, or caju, and they loosely organized Orion society. Each caj functioned as a merchant house, operating primarily around trade but also managing Orion governments and various aspects of their civil life. The caju took care of their own.[3] They dominated local Orion politics, and entire planets were governed by one or a handful of ruling families whose name and word was law.[5][11] Where government, law and other institutions were weak and disrespected, families were flexible and personal, and Orions admired individuals with authority and personality. The tahedri or tabadi of a ruling family was well known, much-loved and close to his or her people.[6 ] Category:Star Trek Category:Species Category:Star Trek Species